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Have you bought a computer and got pirate software with it?

My stepmom asked me to help her buy a computer. So we went to this outlet store in town yesterday and got her a brand new inexpensive system. The computer isn't bad at all.

The problem was not only it didn't come with the xp recovery disk, but also didn't come with original cds of the application softwares that were intalled in the computer. I was really surprised and shocked considering that this store is considered one of the biggest PC outlets. The computer came with 4 copied cds with no labels on it so I had to load to find out. I called their 1-800 number and explained what I got, but this guy gave me another number to call. I didn't have a chance to call the number he gave me yet, but I will later. I just can't believe that a big retailer outlet like this store would do unethical thing like pirating softwares and get away with it. What do you guys think?

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Actually this has been a practice the mass-manufactured companines ie Dell, HP, Compaq have done for a couple of years. They will create a second partition and put the recovery data on that partition. Generally with a couple key strokes you get to the recovery partition and reload Windows. It is also possible to make the recovery disk on your own. generally the will have a wizard to help make the disk. That is provided the hard drive didn't fail. If the drive fails, the recovery partition is gone as well. Then the consumer is stuck with trying to get the recovery sw. I have seen where the manufacture will stop making the recovery disk and tells the customer they are out of luck. Maybe they can find a 2nd hand store that will carry the disk and maybe not. Can you imagine having a hard drive fail and then be told you can't get the sw to reload it but they will be happy to sell you a new computer? I have had many of arguments with some of these companies and they don't really care if you get the disks. They don't feel it is there responsibility since the company stopped making them.

Not knowing if the computer you bought was a mass-manufactured or one that the store built, it would be hard to condem the store. It may not be the stores fault. If the store built the computer then yes they would be and I would bring the computer back and insist on getting your disk. If it is a mass-manufactured then call and complain to them. The sad thing is not everyone who buys a new computer knows to look for the recovery sw. Then when it comes time to reload and they don't have it, there told we're sorry but...

HP does this but...

HP consumer computers come with a hidden partition with an image to be loaded. The image has the OS, recovery software, HP utilities, some applications which are included (MS Money etc) and some which are trial versions which you can activate through the internet. You can ask for HP for the Recovery CD - you have to pay shipping.

I can believe though that a retailler would pirate - there have been many prosections of that very thing. If the computer is a name brand - check other retaillers to see if the software comes with their computers of the same model - I can bet that if it doesn't, its pirate.

Is the software listed on the invoice? If it isn't its probably pirate. If it is listed, it still may be pirate.

The software...

aren't listed on the invoice. The package we bought came with a Wordperfect, supposed to be. It was already installed but the original cd didn't come with it. Instead we got a pirated one. Funny, they didn't even bother to label it.

I also checked other named brand retailers and they actually come with the original software; the same PC model we just bought.

Also, typically when you buy a computer, you'll get a driver software cd such as multimedia, etch..What we got is a pirated one.

I'm going to call them in few minutes and see what are they going to say about this...

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